Communication

Future perspectives of ENPI CBC programmes

“Lessons from the past and reflections on the future”: this is the title of the conference organized by INTERACT last week (15-16 February) in Brussels involving the European Commission and the 13 running ENPI CBC programmes. This conference initiated an exchange of views regarding the future of cross-border cooperation on EU external borders within the 2014-2020 financial perspectives.

The European Commission shared a new approach aiming at ensuring a more timely implementation: operational programmes and financing agreements with Partner Countries shall be finalized and signed within the end of 2013, i.e. before the new programming phase (2014) is launched. In this framework, the Strategy Paper for cross-border cooperation, the ENPI Regulation and related Implementing Rules shall also be adopted in due time.

The JMA of the ENPI CBC Med Programme highlighted that this roadmap should also consider an analysis of the various initiatives/projects carried out in the Mediterranean area together with the relevant partnerships. Such a strategic reference framework could certainly contribute to the preparation of the Strategy Paper with the intent of better focusing it on those issues of common interest for both shores of the Mediterranean.